Need help with endings

[Void]

I read on reddit and other websites that you can manipulate your ending in SH2R at the end, before the double pyramid head fight. I got leave ending and I want to at least get Maria or In Water (preferably In Water). I do all the steps but I get Leave over and over again. these are the things I do:

-For In Water:

Investigating Mary's photo, Angela's Knife and Mary's letter (when available) several times (at least 5 times) whenever I enter a door

Killing double pyramid head and Maria with red health (most of the time with the beating heart sfx playing)

Entering rust-colored egg door

Listening to Mary's dialogue completely

-For Maria

I paid a lot of attention to maria (just missed 2 interactions when checked with internet sources)

Fought double pyramid heads with full health

Entered scarlet egg door

Skipped half of Mary's dialogue at the end

I think I just investigated Mary's photo/Angela's Knife one time in my playthrough which may failed the Maria ending but should have helped with the In Water ending. Is there anything I did wrong? or it's just my bad luck?

[EzekielDarkAngel]

Do not interact with Mary's photo and letter if you want other endings...
Also you need to spend a lot of time at low health not just the pyramid head fights for in water.

[cheetah1546]

Hey man I don't know absolutely all the factors but I can help some.

For In Water. Do NOT examine Mary's photo nor letter. That is why you are getting Leave repeatedly. When Mary's dialogue begins do NOT listen. Run all the way to make it stop early.

[Khuja]

Not healing for a bit helps too. Like if you play "recklessly" it helps to achieve the In Water ending. The coin puzzle also puts points into it but I don't know how heavily it's weighted. But I played most of the game with James looking a bit bloody and I investigated Angela's knife a few times. Watching Maria die is also helpful I believe. There might be more, but this is what I did and achieved the In Water ending. Hope this helps a little.

[FreshMeat]

In Water Ending
To receive this ending, James must act in a suicidal or reckless manner while also keeping a strong attachment to Mary.

Below are the actions that are likely to get you this ending:

* Keep your health in the red zone as much as possible, and do not heal yourself right away
* Examine Angela's knife in your inventory a few times over the course of the game
* Do not spend too much time with Maria or visit her in the hospital room
* Read the new message to James on the wall above the jukebox at Neely's Bar after the hospital (If you really want to see Mary...)
* Use the Rotten Apple in the Room 202 mirror puzzle
* Go through the door with the Rust-Colored Egg after the battle with the two Pyramid Heads
* Listen to the entire Mary's monologue in the long hallway before the final boss

https://www.silenthillmemories.net/sh2_remake/endings_en.htm

[Darew]

Originally posted by FreshMeat:

In Water Ending
To receive this ending, James must act in a suicidal or reckless manner while also keeping a strong attachment to Mary.

Below are the actions that are likely to get you this ending:

* Keep your health in the red zone as much as possible, and do not heal yourself right away
* Examine Angela's knife in your inventory a few times over the course of the game
* Do not spend too much time with Maria or visit her in the hospital room
* Read the new message to James on the wall above the jukebox at Neely's Bar after the hospital (If you really want to see Mary...)
* Use the Rotten Apple in the Room 202 mirror puzzle
* Go through the door with the Rust-Colored Egg after the battle with the two Pyramid Heads
* Listen to the entire Mary's monologue in the long hallway before the final boss

https://www.silenthillmemories.net/sh2_remake/endings_en.htm

I got the In Water ending and I wondered why. This explains a lot. I did most of these things (but not all, I visited Maria in the hospital room for example).

[belangf]

Each ending gets a hidden score based on your gameplay throughout the game. Like visiting Maria at 2 specific times in the hospital will give points and a cutscene, but bumping too much into her, having her take damage or staying too much away from her will substract points. Each ending also has a different max and min score, I think Maria is the easiest to get in the negatives.

It's not always enough to do what's good for an ending; you also have to avoid things that increase the score for other endings. It`s likely that your score near the end is too skewed toward Leave to get any other on that save. The game also gives a bonus to endings you havent seen on subsequent playthrough but that may not apply when just reloading your first save.

[Void]

Originally posted by cheetah1546:

For In Water. Do NOT examine Mary's photo nor letter. That is why you are getting Leave repeatedly. When Mary's dialogue begins do NOT listen. Run all the way to make it stop early.

I did all that but still did not work :(

Originally posted by Khuja:

Not healing for a bit helps too. Like if you play "recklessly" it helps to achieve the In Water ending. The coin puzzle also puts points into it but I don't know how heavily it's weighted. But I played most of the game with James looking a bit bloody and I investigated Angela's knife a few times. Watching Maria die is also helpful I believe. There might be more, but this is what I did and achieved the In Water ending. Hope this helps a little.

I don't remember what I did for coin puzzle but I also played on yellow/red most of the game and tried to not heal right after I got hit. What do you mean by watching maria die? Isn't that a cutscene?

Originally posted by belangf:

Each ending gets a hidden score based on your gameplay throughout the game. Like visiting Maria at 2 specific times in the hospital will give points and a cutscene, but bumping too much into her, having her take damage or staying too much away from her will substract points. Each ending also has a different max and min score, I think Maria is the easiest to get in the negatives.

It's not always enough to do what's good for an ending; you also have to avoid things that increase the score for other endings. It`s likely that your score near the end is too skewed toward Leave to get any other on that save. The game also gives a bonus to endings you havent seen on subsequent playthrough but that may not apply when just reloading your first save.

I knew about the scoring but might somehow messed it up.

Thanks guys. Looks like I have to play the game an extra playthrough.

[belangf]

Originally posted by Void:

What do you mean by watching maria die? Isn't that a cutscene?

Not sure if that's what is meant, but you also get Maria points if you try to go back in the cell after the cutscene where you find her dead (after the labyrinth). And also revisit her cell after each section of the labyrinth for good measure.
Also do not keep Mary's letter with you down the service elevator in the Hotel (where you have to leave your equipment).

[Khuja]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3351775823

I did run across this yesterday so posting it here because it might be of help